A coalition of civil society organisations, CSOs on Friday asked traducers to allow the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd, NNPCL Group Managing Director, Dapo Ojulari and his management to have space to perform their duties.
At a press briefing in Abuja, Director General of the coalition under the aegis of Global Centre for Conscious Living Against Corruption (GCCLAC) Dr Gabriel Nwambu declared that:
“For several weeks now there haa been a plethora of mudslinging against the management of NNPCL in the media by perceived traducers who mean no well for the survival of Nigeria.
Dr Nwambu disclosed this in a statement he read at the briefing entitled: ‘Enough is Enough: A word for NNPCL Traducers’, saying:
“In recent weeks, there has been an upsurge in negative media
reportage against Nigeria’s national oil company, the NNPC Ltd,
and its senior management. These attacks, carefully
orchestrated and coordinated by faceless groups and individuals
with nefarious intents, are to say the least, most unfortunate.
” The frightening part of this dangerous development is that
these negative campaigns don’t look like they will stop anytime
soon. Today, it is Bayo Ojulari, the Group CEO; tomorrow, it is
Dapo Segun, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and the next day,
it is Udy Ntia, the Executive Vice President (EVP) Upstream.
“The
evil forces appeared to be unrelenting in their quest to bring the company and its management to their knees.
“The NNPC Limited and its Management have seen enough: from sponsored media attacks to frivolous lawsuits, even staged
protests from rented crowd based on nothing but the imaginations of the purveyors of fake news, the critics keep coming in droves. Apparently, some folks, both within and without are not happy with the direction the NNPC is going and
would stop at nothing to derail the process of making NNPC
work for all.
” To think that some Nigerians are behind these mischievous
allegations in the media, is just serendipitous. The purveyors of
these acts are probably oblivious of the immense damage they
are doing to a company which should be our collective national
treasure.
“This is a company that could best be described as the
goose that lays the golden egg. This is a company that is about
to be listed on the stock exchange!
Nwambu further stressed that : “But one might ask: what do they stand to gain by making these
potentially damaging allegations towards one of Nigeria’s major
brands and institutions?
“What is their benefit if the National Oil Company goes down as a result of their cynical opinions which
seem to keep discerning investors away? Where is their
patriotism?
“Instead of resorting to media trial of the NNPC and its
Management, why won’t these individuals and groups utilise
legal option to prove their cases?
” These traducers, in their
myopic view, always think NNPC, led by Bashir Bayo Ojulari is the
problem of Nigeria. Again, these critics, in their warped thinking
and imagination, believe they or their paymasters can do better,
in case they are asked to steer the ship of a Company that is
gradually fighting its age-long demons and gradually coming
back to life.
“The NNPC Management, especially under Ojulari’s stewardship,
has never shied away from its many challenges. If anything, it
has always been seen to face the challenges headlong.
“And the
result of that confrontation has seen the company’s fortunes,
growing in leaps and bounds.
“It is therefore important to state that since coming on board as
the GCEO NNPC Ltd, Engr. Ojulari has recorded significant
milestone and achievements, signalling a break from business
as usual.
“He has also implemented bold reforms across operational transparency, fiscal discipline, and global competitiveness. It is safe to say that the man has proven himself not only a capable administrator but also a rare breed of technocrat.
“Similarly, this veteran oil and gas expert has performed feats
nobody dares to attempt before. Today, through effective and
innovative contract reengineering and industry collaboration,
the 614km Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Project
has crossed the River Niger, marking a major step towards
delivering the project that would turn around the industrial
fortunes of Nigeria.
“His leadership acumen has also ensured significant increase in
Nigeria’s crude oil production, generating more revenue for the
country in the process. Under Ojulari’s watch, for the first time in
a long while, the nation enjoyed 100% crude oil pipelines
availability throughout June 2025.
” The feat which was possible
through the industry-wide security interventions led by the
NNPC.
” Again, Ojulari’s tireless efforts led to the prompt payment of cash
call obligations by the NNPC. Unlike in the past were NNPC’s
Joint Venture partners complain of non-payment by their senior
partner, today, the IOCs can close their eyes knowing that in
NNPC, they have a reliable partner that will keep its own side of
the contract.
” It is also not a secret today that the Ojulari-led management has
revamped governance and procurement processes at the NNPC, saving the company billions of naira in potential losses. He has
aso instituted a data-driven framework for contract awards and auditing, effectively blocking several channels previously
exploited for financial recklessness.
” A saying goes that “critics are like eunuchs in a harem, they have
seen it done times without number, but they can never do it
themselves.” The NNPC critics fall in this category, because they
have, many at times, been witnesses to how the Company,
turbo-charged by the new legislative chest of the Petroleum
Industry Act (PIA) is gradually transforming into a world-class
commercial entity of choice.
“Sadly, like the eunuchs, these on-
watching cynics can never do it themselves.
“Fact is whether they like it or not, the NNPC reforms are like a
moving train that can never be stopped. Mr. President did not
make a mistake by nominating the current NNPC Management.
“And from their performance so far, it is evident before everyone’s
eyes that this is indeed a team driven by technical acumen,
eagle-eyed attention to details, and unrelenting desire to rewrite
the oil and gas playbook in Nigeria.
” In conclusion, as partners in the Nigerian Project, our coalition
therefore calls on these detractors to support the Bayo Ojulari-
led management team for the good work it is doing at the
NNPC.
“Instead of circling like vultures, these traducers will do
well to allow the new Management at the NNPC turn around the
fortunes of the company for the better and set Nigeria on the
enviable path of greatness.
God bless NNPC. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.